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The FCL Braves season has come to a close. On paper it wasn’t a great year at just 18-39, but we did get to see some players emerge with the Braves lowest level affiliate within the US this season. This article will highlight some of the successes and failures of the team’s season, as well as picking the team’s hitter and pitcher of the year.

FCL Hitter of the Year: Manuel Campos, SS

Manuel Campos pretty easily took this home this year. It looked like it would be Michael Martinez’s award, but considering he was promoted after just 11 games while Campos spent the entire year here, this was an easy choice. The 18-year-old switch hitter from Venezuela hit .310/.408/.429 with eight doubles, three triples, two homers, 30 steals in 35 attempts, 27 walks, and 37 strikeouts over 196 plate appearances.

FCL Pitcher of the Year: Gensi Angeles, RHP

This wasn’t quite as easy as the hitter, as Gensi Angeles had Briggs McKenzie to compete with, but once again the body of work heavily slanted things towards Angeles. Angeles was the ace of the team, pitching to a 2.26 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts to 27 walks over 55.2 innings. The 18-year-old Dominican continued the success he had last year in the DSL – 3.57 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. He’s just 6’0” and 165 pounds and sits mostly in the upper 80’s while touching the low 90’s, but he has been quite efficient to start his career. It is worth noting that he saw his K/9 jump by 1.2, his H/9 only increase by 0.3, and his HR/9 drop from 1.0 to 0.3, though his walk rate nearly doubled in going from 2.5 to 4.4 BB/9. Despite his success in the lowest levels, Angeles won’t rank high on prospect lists because with the stuff he’s shown he is the kind of pitcher who will need to keep proving himself every time he moves up a level.

Hitting

Even if you exclude the slew of guys just here for rehab assignments (Ronald Acuna, Owen Carey, Conor Essenburg, Ha-Seong Kim, Andrew McCutchen, Carlos Santana, and Will Verdung), the FCL squad had more bright spots than you might expect from a team with this record. We already got into the season that Manuel Campos had, while Michael Martinez earned a fairly quick promotion to Augusta with his .375/.522/.781 line in 11 games. However other players also had solid showings here. As a team they hit .234/.354/.334 with 21 homers, though three of those homers came from the rehab group and another four came from Martinez’s short stint early in the season. The team average and OBP both ranked 13th out of 15 teams in the league, with the worst slugging percentage – 15 points below the team ahead of them.

Yamvier Carrero emerged a bit in his first season after signing as an undrafted free agent from high school last year, hitting .259/.407/.294 – though his season ended a bit early due to injury, and he cooled off a bit towards the end of his time after a solid start. Caden Merritt was another first year high school undrafted free agent, and he slashed .237/.384/.405 with five doubles, four triples, three homers, and 20 steals in his first full season as he split time between here and Augusta. Diego Tornes also had his season end early due to injury, and although his stat line wasn’t particularly impressive at .196/.274/.304 – the underlying metrics on him do paint a brighter picture than the stat line would indicate. Catcher Manuel Dos Passos (.693 OPS) and catcher/first baseman Johan Rodriguez (.747 OPS) also put up solid seasons. Among the guys who weren’t here long from the DSL team, Jorwin Pulido (1.098 OPS) and Elias Reyno (.763 OPS) each had shown some flashes – though neither played even 10 games. Pulido is especially noteworthy as he is a 17-year-old catcher who only signed at the beginning of 2026, and it’s become very rare for the Braves to promote a younger prospect in his first season beyond the DSL. Each of those players will be talked about more in the DSL recap once that season ends in roughly three more weeks.

Pitching

It was a rough year on the pitching side of things. The team ERA was 6.78 with a 1.81 WHIP, along with an 8.4 K/9 against a 7.8 BB/9. That last sentence tells a story of the reason this team lost so many games, though to be fair the young defense didn’t do the pitching staff many favors. It is also worth noting that the walks and defense aren’t Braves-specific issues as much as a common theme in the league, so this is to be expected.

Gensi Angeles was already talked about above, but Briggs McKenzie gave him a real run for the team’s top pitcher this year posting a 0.79 ERA and 0.71 WHIP with nine strikeouts to two walks over 11.1 innings in three outings. Ultimately he fell short as his body of work paled in comparison to what Angeles did here, due to his fairly quick promotion to Augusta and then Rome. Outside of Angeles and McKenzie the most successful pitchers here to pitch even 10 innings had to be Brody Fowler, Luis Arestigueta, and Daniel Brooks. Fowler pitched to a 4.91 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 46 strikeouts to 13 walks in his 40.1 innings. Arestigueta was 4.63 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with nine strikeouts in 11.2 innings. Brooks had a 6.17 ERA and 1.46 WHIP, but 11 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. After that group of pitchers, most of the other pitching either really struggled or was not here very long.

The trade deadline is near and the Phillies have work to do. There are multiple holes that can, and should, be filled by the time to clock ticks to 00:00 on August 3rd, which means there needs to be a scouring of rosters around the game. Several problems are present though, the most glaring is – who are the sellers?

The presence of the third wild card has made this question harder to define than at the deadlines we grew up with. Teams might feel like they’re still in it, thus requiring them to either hold serve or actually acquire pieces to go for a shot at getting into the playoffs and seeing what havoc they can cause. It leads to a shortfall of teams that have accepted their fate and put themselves on the market as sellers with players to move. However, there are some clear teams that have fallen out of contention and have the players that match up with what the Phillies are looking to do.

We can name the needs the Phillies have this trade deadline with relative ease:

• a fifth starter to give them decent starts each time he toes the rubber
• at least one (preferably two) reliever to add to the bullpen, that reliever being someone that can be trusted in the eighth inning
• a bat, preferably right handed, that can help get on base at a reasonable rate that would help raise the team’s current .303 OBP as a team

The tricky part to all of this is payroll. The team, according to Roster Resource, currently sits at a smidge over $321 million in payroll counting towards the luxury tax penalties. Since they have cleared the third threshold of that tax, we can conservatively think that every dollar added to the payroll at this point would be double in terms of the luxury tax they would have to pay at the end of the season. While putting the best team on the field should be the goal of the team, we’d be delusional if if didn’t figure the money part into the trade deadline into the equation. So, if the team is going to be acquiring a player, they had better be getting some bang for their buck.

However, there are still some teams that they can dance with at the deadline that can help them. Here are three.

Colorado Rockies (Fangraphs playoff odds: 0.0%)

The Rockies stink, yet have a direction for the first time in seemingly years. They have accepted they are bad and will move players to finally try and be good in the future. Considering how their past few trade deadlines have gone, that is a radical change for them. Even with how bad they have been, there are several pieces that could fit what the team is looking for.

The most desirable piece the Rockies have is Hunter Goodman, their All-Star catcher who is currently third in the majors with 31 home runs. He would add the much needed power to the lineup that would come from the right side. He’s running a walk rate below 10%, not exactly the remedy to the problem the Phillies have, but that could be overlooked since he hits the ball really hard and really far. Then there is the fact that Goodman is a catcher, which might sound like an issue with a team that has J.T. Realmuto ensconced at the position, but Goodman has played in the outfield before. That move to the outfield full time might not be easy on the defensive eyes, but since when have the Phillies worried about team defense?

The cost of acquiring Goodman would be exorbitant, possibly too high for what the Phillies would be comfortable with doing. It would mean putting Gage Wood on the table at the bare minimum, plus several more names that occupy whatever top ten list you wish to adhere to. He might be exactly what the team needs, but it’s probably pie in the sky thinking.

After Goodman, the team could look at the starters they have. Since the spot in the rotation the Phillies are looking to fill is pretty specific, several players could fit the bill. Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano could at least act like adults in the fifth starter’s spot for the Phillies, not the sexiest names on the planet, but also at least capable of giving them decent outings each time they toe the rubber. Looking into the bullpen, Antonio Senzatela has been much better this season since moving there full time, seeing jumps in all of his peripherals in addition to his fastball velocity. Juan Mejia throws really, really hard, averaging 97 mph with his fastball, but with nary a semblance of where it is actually going (see: 11.2 BB%). Victor Vodnik has always had the velocity the team likes from their bullpen pieces, but if you thought Mejia didn’t know where the strikezone was, Vodnik might be worse. If they wanted to add someone to the outfield mix, someone like Brenton Doyle, though maybe a year or two too late, would fit the bill as a right handed option, but would he be better than what Derek Hill is currently providing? Old friend Mickey Moniak has 16 home runs, but his walk rate is under 6%. He’s also left handed.

There are some decent pieces that might give the Phillies some depth pieces that they could control beyond this season, but as far as needle moving trades, outside of Goodman and maybe Senzatela, there isn’t much that would be added to the team’s potential playoff roster. They match up decently and wouldn’t have to part with much in terms of high level prospects (again, outside of Goodman), so perhaps there is a match to be made.

Kansas City Royals (Fangraphs playoff odds: 0.3%)

Another team that has fallen into the doldrums this year is the Royals. When the season began, they were at least mildly interesting as a potential AL Central pick were they able to continue with their plan of solid rotation, Bobby Witt and lots of hope to win the division. Unfortunately for them, if something could go wrong for them, it has. Witt has been an MVP level player, but everyone else has fallen apart. They still have him to build around, as well as some offensive pieces like Jac Caglianone and Vinnie Pasquantino, but the rest of the roster has struggled or gotten hurt. They are another team that has a few things that could help the Phillies.

Naturally, the easiest player to think of is Lane Thomas. Signed to a one-year deal this offseason, Thomas has hit to a not spectacular, but not horrible .240/.337/.409 line for the season. He would be an option the team could look at to help in the outfield as part of a platoon with someone in right field, whether that someone is Gabriel Rincones, Jr. or if they simply say that he is the starter and move forward from there. Is that a needle mover for the team as far as boosting the outfield as is? Maybe not, but it would be more of a raising the floor than anything else.

On the pitching side, they might be a team that is able to act on Michael Wacha as a starting pitcher. It would fall into the “solid, but not spectacular” type of move that makes those fifth starter issues disappear. Get into a playoff series that require four starters and there is a real conversation that, were they able to acquire Wacha, he would be a better option to start that game over Aaron Nola. He’d also have team control through 2027 and 2028, the latter of which would come in the form of a team option, so this wouldn’t just be a move concerned about this season alone. It would also be setting up the rotation for the next season as well. Is that something the team would want to do, locking in another spot with little flexibility?

For relievers, there are a few that should draw interest. Daniel Lynch is a power left handed reliever having a solid season for the Royals. He handles left handed hitters with ease and has shown an effectiveness against right handers as well, even if they have hit him a bit better. One thing to note is that he keeps the ball on the ground to the tune of a groundball rate at nearly 51%. With the infield defense the way it is right now, would he still be as effective?

And before you ask, no. Matt Strahm is not an option, not with an ERA that begins with a 7 and a groundball rate under 30%.

Baltimore Orioles (Fangraphs playoff odds: 24.6%)

At first blush, there doesn’t seem to be a match between the two teams. Admittedly, there can be a bit of a stretch to see the link between the two.

Technically, with playoff odds around 25% and the American League being quite bad this season, Baltimore could talk itself into actually pushing forward with what they have. They have played better since the break and have some players that could continue to improve as the clock ticks toward the deadline. They only sit three games out of the last wild card spot and remain in striking distance.

Yet if they determine that they aren’t going to make it and indeed start to trade away a few pieces, there are some that could be attractive to the Phillies.

Namely, Taylor Ward.

Having been linked to the Phillies for at least two seasons now, the disappointing season the Orioles are having might finally be the time that a deal is actually consummated. Ward has played in each game on the season for Baltimore and has given them a 120 wRC+ for their troubles. He’s also an outfielder on an expiring contract and could bring them back something fetching in return. Outfielders are things that Baltimore has a few of in reserve, but moving Ward would be a signal that they didn’t think they could overcome the injuries they’re having to make those playoffs.

If Ward was someone they did not want to move, someone like Tyler O’Neill could possibly be pried loose. He’s in a platoon right now with Dylan Beavers and has generally disappointed in his tenure there, but isn’t far removed from a season (2024) in which he had 31 home runs. Were the Orioles willing to pay down some of his remaining deal (he is still under contract for 2027 at $16.5 million, a roll of the dice could be in play to see if he can regain some of his noted power from a few years ago.

For pitching, it’s unlikely any of the starters Baltimore has would be on the table, so focusing on what relievers they have could be in order. Andrew Kittredge is one that they could have interest in as a late inning option. He’s been solid for them this year, running an ERA around 3.5 for most of the season. He’s not going to blow hitters away, but he still induces quite a bit of chase with his stuff and keeps the ball on the ground.

These are but three teams that the Phillies might be able to make a deal with. There are a few others, some of which might be able to actually see a deal through. We’ll have to wait and see what that deadline finally brings.

Congratulations to Cam Cauley, who has been named the #15 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving almost one-third of the vote.

Our list so far:

1 — Sebastian Walcott

2 — Caden Scarborough

3 — Malcolm Moore

4 — A.J. Russell

5 — Yolfran Castillo

6 — Rafe Perich

7 — Dylan Dreiling

8 — Josh Owens

9 — Jose Corniell

10 — Dalton Pence

11 — David Davalillo

12 — Yeison Morrobel

13 — Hector Osorio

14 — Cam Cauley

Moving on…

“And I love that dirty water … Boston you’re my ho—” oh, whoops, didn’t see you there. I was, uh, yeah I was celebrating the turnaround of the 2026 Boston Red Sox, I didn’t think I’d have to work today jeez. (takes off hat and Roman Anthony jersey) Oh, you want to know about the streak? Okay, let me get my glasses and then we can talk.

(ahem) The Boston Red Sox are on an absolute tear. They’ve gone 20-3 since June 25, won 15 straight games to tie their franchise record streak from the 1940s (!) and have turned around basically every aspect of their 2026 disasterclass to wrest control of the third American League Wild Card spot from the jaws of a confusing game of Musical Chairs/Duck Duck Goose. How on earth did we get here, and what does it all mean?

Since they began their fire-breathing rampage through everything in their path, the Red Sox have essentially doubled the offensive output of four players without seeing a major drop-off from anyone they were counting on for runs. Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs explains it all really well here, and has a nice table that shows how four guys — Willson Contreras, Andruw Monasterio, Masataka Yoshida and Caleb Durbin — have seen dramatic spikes in their wRC+ and associated power metrics since June 25. 

That list doesn’t even really account for the impact of Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela, who have been less consistent but defensively elite with some huge hits in big spots for both. Probably the most dramatic moment of the streak (tied with Caleb Durbin’s home run) was Abreu’s impossible go-ahead two-run shot against the Tampa Bay Rays after Boston had fallen down three. Baseball is funny like that; consistency wins divisions, but at the end of the day, when you need a home run right now… someone needs to hit one right now.

In short, this team was “clutch,” a dark word in baseball given that clutch sorta doesn’t exist for teams. Well, it does, and we have clutch stats to back it up: in the last 30 days, the Boston Red Sox are by far the most clutch team (which just calculates how much win probability you add in high-leverage spots) with 4.27 Clutch (wow that sounds weird to say). That is an insane number, and more than doubles Detroit at number two. 

But for the whole season, Boston has been the opposite of clutch; distinctively, un-clutch, one could say, at -1.31, which 24th in the Majors for the full season which includes this streak. And there’s no evidence that certain teams are “clutch” month over month, year over year or that clutch performances can be used as predictive for future clutch play. Jeff Sullivan wrote a great breakdown of this data in 2018, and I’ll quote from his piece here to illustrate the point: 

“There’s no historical reason to believe [clutch is] a trait. It’s all just a collection of things that have happened. Things at important times that have wound up deciding ballgames.”

That is, in essence, what Boston’s 15-game win streak was about. “Things at important times” decided a number of close ballgames in a row for one team. And while it should not be used to say anything about the 2026 Boston Red Sox being a clutch team (they literally aren’t, see above), the fact that they were clutch for 30 days was the difference between the 2026 season sitting at the bottom of the Boston Harbor to rot for eternity with that tea from 1773 and becoming a buyer at the trade deadline. They brought a crane and fished the season out.

For the 2026 Red Sox, clutch does exist; maybe not as a trait, but as an event that happened and is perhaps still happening that had a seismic impact on their destiny, relationship with the city and with each other. “Things at important times” may not be something we can predict, but it still feels pretty darn awesome when they happen. Boston needed exactly that type of run (or at least something close to it) to save a season in which absolutely nothing has gone right. And they did it! 

Could we have predicted it? Nope! At least not to that extent — I’ve written a lot about these Red Sox, and while they were basically always better than their putrid 32-46 record, the production they’re getting out of Durbin, Yoshida and Monasterio was not the recipe for success I had in the recipe book.

If we’re being cold and calculated, Boston will need more talent in this lineup if they’re going to oh I don’t know win the World Series or something ridiculous. Roman Anthony will need to return from the longest and most impossibly torturous Red Sox injury saga since peak Chris Sale, and Garrett Crochet will need to be back for the postseason.

Do the Red Sox believe that can happen? If they do, then buyers will be buying.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers hit the road tonight, and they enter the series opener against the New York Mets as a clear -138 moneyline favorite. 

However, with the struggling Roki Sasaki on the hill, my Dodgers vs. Mets predictions see value in the hosts as an underdog. 

Find out more in my MLB picks for Friday, July 24. 

Who will win Dodgers vs Mets today: Mets moneyline (+119)

Roki Sasaki has been in horrible form for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's posted a 7.28 FIP over his last four appearances.

During that span, he's allowed a 44.2% hard-hit rate and 17.2% barrel rate. Sasaki is incredibly inconsistent, and the Mets are averaging a 40.5% hard-hit rate in the last five games. 

The New York Mets counter with Sean Manaea. Although his 4.76 xERA across the last month is nothing to write home about, the Dodgers haven’t shown much power against lefties, posting a .166 ISO in that split, and the Mets bullpen has been lights out lately with a 3.06 xERA in the last week. 

The Mets jump on Sasaki, and Manaea limits the damage enough before handing things over to the pen. 

I'll play this pick up to -110. 

COVERS INTEL: Sasaki has surrendered 2.89 HR/9 over his last four starts, compared to 1.97 HR/9 overall this season. 

Dodgers vs Mets Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (+114)

This total sits at 9.5, and the bullpen situation gives the Over a realistic path. The Dodgers pen has been shaky lately, posting a 5.07 FIP over its last 19.1 innings while giving up 1.86 HR/9.

That’s important against a Mets lineup that has been solid recently, carrying a 103 wRC+ over the last week. 

Los Angeles hasn’t been as productive, sitting at 92 wRC+ during that span, but Manaea’s vulnerabilities over the last month still leave room for the Dodgers to contribute at the dish. 

If the Mets get to Sasaki early, it creates a clear path to the Over, especially given LA's bullpen struggles.

I'll play this pick up to -140. 

Dodgers vs Mets weather

Conditions should be very favorable at Citi Field tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from the upper 70s into the low 70s. Winds will be light at roughly 6 to 9 mph, and there is no rain concern. Weather should have minimal impact on scoring or ball carry.

Dodgers vs Mets odds

• Moneyline: Los Angeles -133 | New York +127
• Run line: Los Angeles -1.5 (+122) | New York +1.5 (-127)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-127) | Under 8.5 (+122)

Dodgers vs Mets trend

The New York Mets have hit the Game Total Over in 26 of their last 50 games at home (+5.00 Units / 9% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Mets.

How to watch Dodgers vs Mets and game info

Dodgers vs Mets latest injuries

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We've got a stacked slate of MLB action tonight, so let's fill up those cards and kick off the weekend on a high note!

Let's dive into my favorite MLB player props and MLB picks to attack on Friday, July 24.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
German Marquez	Under 3.5 Strikeouts	-138
Munetaka Murakami	1+ Hit	-156
Tomoyuki Sugano	Over 5.5 Hits Allowed	-132

German Marquez Under 3.5 Strikeouts (-138)

Entering Friday, San Diego Padres right-hander German Marquez owns the lowest matchup strikeout rate among today's starters, according to Batters-Box.

On top of that, he has to face five elite-rated hitters and two hitters with strong ratings. The Miami Marlins also do not have a single hitter above the league average strikeout rate.

In 31 games with a poorly rated matchup strikeout rate, Marquez has gone under this prop 58.06% of the time. Across his last five starts, he owns just a 13.83% strikeout rate.

Even with the Marlins going through a cold stretch over the last few weeks, there is too much data on their side against Marquez for me to have any concern.

The right-hander has struggled recently, posting a 6.30 ERA, 5.68 xERA, and 1.80 WHIP over his last five starts.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MIAM, SDPA

Munetaka Murakami Over 0.5 Hits (-156)

If you are not in the juice paying business, take Munetaka Murakami's hits+runs+RBI prop instead. However, at this price, the floor is well worth it in my book.

The Chicago White Sox rookie has maintained a .273 BA, .922 OPS, and 54.5% hard hit rate over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitchers.

Not to mention, he enters Friday evening with an elite rating on Batters-Box, where he records a hit 66.67% of the time. He also covers over 73% of Houston Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti's arsenal.

Arrighetti throws fastballs and curveballs 68.9% of the time, and Murakami has found success against both offerings. He owns an expected batting average of at least .378 and is generating at least a 60% hard hit rate against each pitch.

Arrighetti has struggled heavily against left-handed hitters this season, and his recent outings have not shown much improvement. Over his last 60 batters faced, hitters are generating a 42.4% hard hit rate, 18.2% barrel rate, and just a 24.2% ground ball rate.

I think Murakami is due for a big outing at the dish. Give me the floor at -156. 

• Time: 7:40p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, SCHN

Tomoyuki Sugano Over 5.5 Hits Allowed (-132)

According to Batters-Box's current season dataset, the highest rated offense on the day belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers, who own an average hitter matchup rating of 0.501.

To put that number into perspective, a hitter matchup rating above 0.450 is considered "elite." Milwaukee enters Friday with five elite-rated hitters and two more carrying strong ratings.

Despite the Brewers' recent cold streak, I fully expect them to get after Colorado Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano this evening. Sugano enters with one of the worst pitcher ratings on the slate while allowing the most hard contact among today's starters.

When Sugano receives a poor rating on Batters-Box, he allows 5+ hits 70.37% of the time, 6+ hits 55.56% of the time, and 7+ hits 29.63% of the time. In his last ten poorly rated outings, he has allowed 6+ hits in six games.

I would play this down to -135 at the most, or look toward the Brewers to go Over their first five team total.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: COLR, BREW

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Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out yesterday’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (49-48) POSTPONED

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (43-49) POSTPONED

A+: Asheville Tourists (32-60) lost 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

Oakes started for Asheville and went 3.1 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 4th inning on a Frey solo home run. After the Hot Rods got a run in the 6th, Batista tied the game in the 7th with a 2 run home run. The Hot Rods immediately retook the lead though with a run in the bottom of the 7th. Asheville was unable to score again as they fell 4-3.

Note: Frey has a .773 OPS in High-A.

• Ethan Frey, LF: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
• Caden Powell, RF: 1-for-3, BB
• Zach Daudet, SS: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Freuddy Batista, C: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI

• Kellan Oakes, RHP: 3.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• Jordan Carr, LHP: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Joan Ogando, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (46-45) won 10-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first on a Luciano RBI double. They broke it open in the 3rd scoring 5 runs on a Luciano RBI single, Flores groundout, Fielder RBI single and Cauro 2 run home run. In the 5th inning, Fielder added an RBI triple. The offense got 2 more runs in the 6th on a wild pitch and Sierra sac fly. Beck got the start for the Woodpeckers and was great tossing 6 scoreless innings with 6 strikeouts. Fielder added a run in the 8th on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Shoemaker tossed 2 scoreless innings in relief and Rosario closed it out allowing 2 runs as the Woodpeckers won 10-2.

Note: Luciano is hitting .400 over his last 14 games.

• Josh Wakefield, CF: 3-for-6, 2 R, 2 2B, SB
• Kevin Alvarez, DH: 1-for-4, 2 R, BB, SB
• Waner Luciano, 3B: 4-for-6, R, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
• Arturo Flores, C: 0-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB
• Jadyn Fielder, LF: 2-for-3, R, 3B, 3 RBI, BB
• Carlos Cauro, 1B: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
• DJ Newman, RF: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B

• Jagger Beck, RHP: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (WIN)
• Adam Shoemaker, LHP: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
• Leomar Rosario, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: Ryan Weiss – 7:05 CT

CC: Nolan DeVos – 5:05 CT

AV: Andrew Taylor – 6:35 CT

FV: TBD – 5:35 CT

The Trade Deadline is just over a week away and the Cubs are expected to be aggressive buyers. So now is a good time to see what prospects the Cubs have that might interest other teams.

The Cubs farm system has had a good first half of the season. Both Double-A Knoxville and High-A South Bend won their first-half division titles. Several prospects, most notably Josiah Hartshorn and Owen Ayers, took huge steps forward and have established themselves among the Top 100 prospects in the game. I also think the Cubs had a good draft, although time will tell on that. But four recent draft picks made my new Top 25.

Several players have graduated off of my pre-season list. Pre-season top prospect Moisés Ballesteros may be back in the minors, but he exceeded the 120 plate appearances in the majors before going back down. Neither Kevin Alcántara nor Pedro Ramírez have 120 plate appearances yet, but both do have the 45 days in the majors, which is another marker of the end of prospect status. But it should be noted that while Mo Baller, the Jaguar and Ramírez (someone get Pedro a nickname!) are no longer considered prospects, they are the kinds of players with potential and six years of team control that teams are looking for when trading with the Cubs.

Here is where I see the Cubs’ Top 25 prospects at the moment. I think this list is a lot deeper than the one that I made this past winter. Still, there isn’t a lot of difference between someone ranked 19 and 25 nor between someone ranked in the 20s and a lot of people I didn’t rank. So if you’re asking “Why isn’t [so-and-so] here?,” the answer is almost certainly “I could have put him on instead of [player name].”

A quick reminder that this year’s draft picks—Cade Townsend, Brandon Sorrell, Myles Bailey and Carson Jasa—cannot be traded at the Deadline.

As always, I don’t rank players still in the Dominican Summer League. However, those players will also be available for trades. But major league teams only rarely want players that young and that far away from the majors in Deadline deals.

BCB Cubs top 25 prospects: Mid-season update

1. Josiah Hartshorn 1B/OF
2. Jefferson Rojas INF
3. Owen Ayers C
4. Kane Kepley OF
5. Cade Townsend RHP
6. Jaxon Wiggins RHP
7. Ethan Conrad OF
8. Kaleb Wing RHP
9. Caden Sorrell OF
10. James Triantos 2B/OF
11. Jonathon Long 1B/LF
12. Myles Bailey 1B
13. Ty Southisene SS
14. Brooks Caple RHP
15. Dominick Reid RHP
16. Juan Cabada 2B
17. Jostin Florentino RHP
18. Mason McGwire RHP 
19. Brett Bateman OF
20. Will Sanders RHP
21. Nazier Mulé RHP 
22. Jose Escobar LF/2B
23. Carson Jasa RHP
24. Grant Kipp RHP
25. Pierce Coppola LHP

Josiah Hartshorn has been struggling a bit lately, but he still shows an advanced approach at the plate and excellent power. There’s some risk here from the hit tool, maybe more than some of us would like to admit, but he’s probably one of the top 40 prospects in baseball right now and probably off-limits for all likely trades.

Jefferson Rojas, still just 21, is having an excellent season in Double-A after struggling in his first exposure there last year. With the Cubs major league infield set for the near future, he’s a strong candidate to get dealt.

Owen Ayers built off that strong Arizona Fall League performance and has played his way all the way up to Triple-A. He’s still a bat-over-glove catcher, but his defense is getting better and his arm has always been strong. Teams will ask about him and while I don’t think he’s off-limits, the Cubs will be loathe to deal him for anything short of a haul.

Kane Kepley is an on-base machine who steals a ton of bases. He’s also a very good defensive center fielder. With Pete Crow-Armstrong ensconced in center for the foreseeable future, Kepley has to be considered a trade candidate for the right price.

The injuries to Jaxon Wiggins have me moving him just behind first-round draft pick Cade Townsend. With the Townsend pick, Wiggins becomes more available. I’m not sure, however, that Wiggins has time enough to re-establish his value before next Monday for the Cubs to get enough back to deal him.

Ethan Conrad has only just started playing after being last year’s first-round pick. So far, he hasn’t looked all that impressive in Low-A Myrtle Beach, but he’s also missed more than a year of playing time. So it may just be rust.

James Triantos is making his major-league debut today. He’s re-established some value after a strong season in Iowa. But while Triantos could be a major league starter, he lacks the power to be an impact player and his major league role and skill set is duplicated by Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramírez, whom I’d argue do it better.

Ty Southisene is currently injured, but his value has gone up this year as he’s hit .302 with a .422 OBP. He’s also proven that he can at minimum play an adequate shortstop, which gives him a lot more utility infielder value. He has yet to hit his first professional home run, which lowers his value

Juan Cabada makes my list for the first time after playing in the Arizona Complex League. He showed a solid bat as an 18-year-old before he got injured at the end of May. He has not returned to the field since then.

I still think Mason McGwire is a reliever at the major league level, but after missing all of 2025, he looks like a completely different pitcher this year with better stuff and much-improved command. There’s also always the chance I’m wrong and McGwire ends up as a starter. I can imagine the A’s or the Cardinals asking for McGwire in any potential trade.

I’m still quite suspicious of Brett Bateman as his .306 batting average in Iowa is driven by a very high batting average on balls in play. He also has almost no power. But Bateman also makes a lot of contact, walks about as much as he strikes out, steals a lot of bases and plays good defense in center field. He’s more of a fourth outfielder than a starter, but he’s also in Triple-A and close to major-league ready.

Nazier Mulé touches 100 miles per hour and has greatly improved his control this year. He still walks too many batters, but he’s moving in the right direction. It should be noted that Mulé didn’t devote himself full-time to pitching until the Cubs drafted him out of high school in 2022.

Jose Escobar is having a breakout season in South Bend, in large part because he’s dropped his strikeout rate from 20.8 percent to 13 percent. The fact that he’s looking more “left fielder” than “second baseman” hurts his value, but a team that thinks he can still play second base might value him higher.

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In a recent Trade Deadline-focused piece for The Athletic, writer Jim Bowden proposed a trade between the Cubs and Royals that he would like to see:

Cubs receive: Michael Wacha, RHP

Royals receive: Matt Shaw, INF/OF; Kevin Alcántara, OF

[…]

In return, the Royals get two young bats who can’t crack the Cubs’ starting lineup in Shaw and Alcántara. Shaw, 24, can play second base, third base and corner outfield. As an everyday player, he projects to have 15-20 home run power. Alcántara, 23, has never been given a legitimate chance with Chicago, but he’s having another strong season in Triple A.

Both players are 24. Shaw is nominally a third baseman, but has played primarily in right field with some second and first mixed in. Alcántara is a centerfielder. Shaw was considered the 22nd overall best prospect in MLB by FanGraphs when he graduated last year and was hitting about league average before being sidelined with an injury on June 29th. He still needs to tap into some game power to be as good as he’s projected, but the projections are very good indeed.

Alcántara is still considered a prospect, and the fifth best in the Cubs’ system, despite debuting in 2024 due to a lack of plate appearances at the big league level. On his third run at AAA, he’s doing quite well for himself with a .936 OPS and a double-digit walk rate. He strikes out nearly 1/3 of the time, but if he can access in the big leagues the power that’s seen him hit 17 home runs in 55 AAA games this year, he could be a very valuable player indeed. Despite having well-graded speed, he’s never stolen as many as 20 bases in a single season.

Ideally, I think the Royals would want to focus on guys who were still true prospects rather than graduated and nearly-graduated guys. They might also prefer someone for whom baseball was more of a priority than Shaw has shown it to be for him. But these are still a pair of very talented hitters and would probably be a huge boost to the youth and talent of the Royals organization. How would you grade this trade if the Royals and Cubs agreed to it?